St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10

Greenhough had finished the description of
all her faded glOries, when she went to the
| springs in papa's own carriage" he burst
out in real delight
"He-he-hih! Highly unimportant iftrue!"
Poor DoWnes was long time atonlng for
that mistake and was only forgiven at last
when he communicated the fact that he was
to be Senator Bonanza's secretary at the full
senatorial salary of $1,000 year.
Then Greenhough Bolingbroke approached
the business Of the subject. Did he mean to
marry her? The Bo1ingbroke connection
would have to make the best Of it, for she
was determined etc, ETC., ETC..
Unimportant Downes looked at those
massive charms and sighed land all for me!'
When he came home from Bonanza's, re-
PEELED at the door, and looked to Green
hough for sympathy, and gave his fate in
monosyllables, the lady opened her great
row of teeth, and gave turn of her head.
which made her curls shake like the plated
name of horses:
'Unimportant Downesr' said She "H.
I. Downes, alias Highly Unimportant! The
Bolingbrokes resent the idea of my becOm-
ing Mrs. Highly UnimpOrtant Downes! We
who went to the springs with our own car
riage, silver spoons and table linen ~
"Greeney! exclaimed the man of no i'm
me, Greeney! I'll never strike for more sal
airy, and L II work cheap. He-he-hih!'
He checked himself
81 am compelled to iilt you," Greenhough
replied. you never valued yourself, sir.
How could you value me? The edifce Of
happiness had reared in my soul your in
significance has shattered like a pyramid
undermined by field mouse. Go, heart
breaker! Go, disappointer! Leave me to
the recollections of my ancestry and to
tears!"
Tommy Downes felt his heart twisted.
He strove for something to say.
"He-he-hih" he laughed historically.
"Highly unimportant, if true"
But the dream of domestic settlement in
the bachelor heart where it has finally
lodged leaves an empty void when it is
gone. The long-postponed application of
the affections absolutely changes the pros
poets of the settled man and brings no fears
in its track, like the engagement of the o err
mature maiden. The mans passion is for
home and housekeeping and society. He
feels old agespreading its frosty bed for him
and sees one angel only with blankets and
pillows to warm lEs frgid rest-the angel of
woman.
The loss of this great masculine, self-con-
scious, Dragging, assuming female broke
the heart of Tommy Downes.
His kidneys began to trouble him.
"My poor friend" said the DOCTOR as
Tommy lay at the hospital, 81 have to tell
you that you can live Just three months!"
The poor fellow strove to laugh, and some
thing of laugh it was, but his old saying
was CHEEKY as ever
"He-he-hih, doc.l highly unimportant, if
true!'
Take it in that way, my son!' said a
good priest, coming in. This world is of no
importance. The world we never saw is, Of
course, the real life. Let me give you an ex-
act description of its crystal streams and
waving palms and golden harpsr'
So he told with fine diction and energy the
story of Revelation.
Tommy Downes had never looked into
that subject much, as he had a sort of nat
ural religion in his humility. But he listened
with ready gentleness, and when it was all
ended and the priest waited for a rejoinder,
the pleasant-faced sufferer cordially ex-
ploded-
"He-he-hih! Highly unimportant, if true!"
So he sank lower and lower, and the news
paper boys sat up with him of nights. Miss
Greenhough Bolingbroke, too, relented, and
came to the hospital to give him the honest
tribute of her remorse and tears.
so, love-" said she, make an effort to live!
You can do it if you only try. l see for us a
happy reunion, if not here, in the world be-
yond the grave. Whisper to me what death
is. 0, tell me what you seeu'
He was just going as he kissed her and
answered in his dying breath:
Highly unimportant, if true!"